Do people always say you ‘look tired’? 5 easy steps to freshen up your complexion

Ever wondered why people sometimes remark how you look tired, even when you don’t think you are? While you might not feel it, fatigue can show up on your skin in a myriad ways.

“The skin is the largest organ of our body, and our face serves as a unique canvas for the visual narratives of skin health,” explained Dr Pamela Chong, senior aesthetic doctor at Epion Clinic. “And with the challenges of an increasingly demanding world, our bodies bear the weight of these pressures and our skin mirrors this, appearing fatigued or tired looking.”

So how does our skin show fatigue? According to Dr Chong, the facets of skin quality can be broadly divided into four categories – firmness, texture, tone and glow. And it is through these four aspects that we see signs of tiredness, that can range from dark circles and puffy eyes, to fine lines, wrinkles and a dull and rough complexion.

And when it comes to fatigued skin, Dr Chong shared that the main factors that contribute to it are both intrinsic (ageing, genetics and hormonal changes) and extrinsic (sun exposure, unhealthy lifestyle habits and bad skincare practices).

HOW TO FRESHEN UP A TIRED COMPLEXION

1. Exfoliate

Let’s face it: Ageing is a key cause behind why our skin starts looking tired. A slower cell turnover can lead to an accumulation of dead skin cells on the skin’s surface, making your complexion look dull and less vibrant, said Dr Chong.

In addition, spending lots of time outdoors under constant sun exposure, late nights, excessive alcohol and caffeine intake, as well as a poor cleansing routine can also leave the skin feeling rough.

Said Dr Chong: “Dull skin typically lacks the characteristic sheen and vitality associated with youth and healthy skin. When the skin loses its vibrancy and radiance, it can appear flat and tired. Skin that is lacklustre also often feels rough and uneven, further contributing to the perception of fatigue.”

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Its proprietary blend of encapsulated Retinaldehyde (retinal being the strongest version of Vitamin A), patented liposomal ursolic acid, a restorative tripeptide, an ancient Ayurvedic botanical blend and 12 antioxidants enables this multi-corrective cream to brighten, repair and regenerate your skin.

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2. Boost hydration

Did you know that well-hydrated skin instantly looks healthier and more youthful? “Ample hydration ensures the skin remains moisturised and supposed good blood circulation to deliver essential nutrients and oxygen to the skin cells. This promotes skin cell regeneration and repair, allowing the skin to be better equipped to defend against environmental stressors, in turn contributing to a healthy glow and vibrant complexion,” explained Dr Chong.  

Try: La Mer The Lifting Firming Serum, S$420

A serum with muscle memory? This unique serum is designed to reignite skin’s memory of youthful firmness and radiance by targeting six micro-zones to renew skin’s firmness, density, volume and balance. The sea algae and hyaluronic acid in the formula fill skin with plumping hydration to recalibrate facial contours.

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3. Brighten the eyes

Late nights, not sleeping enough and drinking insufficient water can all lead to dark circles, puffy eyes and eye bags. And these, shared Dr Chong, “contribute to a fatigued appearance by casting shadows and causing the eyes to look less vibrant”.

Try: Gucci Beauty Concentre De Beaute Liquid Concealer, S$65  

Whether you’re trying to hide dark under-eye circles or the odd blemish spot, its lightweight and stretchable texture is perfect to conceal and even the skin. More importantly, its formula is long-wearing yet non-drying with the use of black rose oil and hyaluronic acid, so you won’t have to worry about creases. And the addition of acmella flower extract even helps smooth away puffy eye bags too. Best bit? It comes in a whopping 25 shades.

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4. Prime the face

When skin looks tired, it can appear dull and sallow, said makeup artist, Marie Soh. To combat this, she recommended applying a primer to “correct the tone of your skin” and give your face an instant boost of radiance, even without the use of foundation. Opt for a tone-up primer that works well for most skin tones to brighten the complexion or a purple toned primer that will correct sallowness.

Try: Clarins SOS Primer, S$60

One swipe and the beautyberry extract in this efficacious primer instantly minimises signs of fatigue by neutralising dull undertones. This skin-loving primer’s filter-effect finish comes courtesy of its Microbiote Complex, an innovation that works to balance skin’s microbiota.

Available at https://www.clarins.com.sg/

5. Add colour

One of the easiest ways to instantly bring “life” back to tired skin is to add colour to the face, shared Soh. This means blusher and lipstick should be your go-tos. “It will make you look more awake and ‘made up’.” 

But that’s not all. Besides colour, Soh also suggested adding highlighter to the high points of the face – cheek bones, brow bones and nose bridge – to bring light to the area to counteract the dullness as well.

Try: Dior Beauty Diorshow 10 Couleurs 002 Blooming Boudoir, S$244

One palette to bring colour and luminosity to your tired complexion. With its high colour pay-off, the pink adds warmth to your cheeks while the pressed pearls and smoothing polymers in the highlighter give skin a flattering glow with ease.

Available at Dior Beauty boutiques.